Bishop: 39 years long enough, pass anti-dynasty law

MANILA, Philippines — It’s been a long wait for Congress to pass an anti-dynasty law, Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said yesterday, as he stressed that lawmakers should heed the order of the Supreme Court (SC).

“Thirty-nine years is long enough. Congress, the Supreme Court has spoken. Now enact the law,” David said.

The SC has granted the consolidated petitions for certiorari and mandamus questioning the legislature’s failure for 39 years to approve an enabling law against political dynasties, stressing that the failure constitutes “grave abuse of discretion.”

“That is how long Congress has failed to implement the provision required by the 1987 Constitution to prohibit political dynasties,” David added.

The SC unanimously ruled that Congress is mandated to enact a law barring political dynasties under Article 2, Section 26 of the Constitution.

It regarded Congress’ failure to enact the law as a “refusal to perform a mandatory constitutional duty.”

“For almost four decades, the constitutional command remained largely unrealized because Congress itself was entrusted with defining what constitutes a political dynasty. The Court noted that dynasties have meanwhile remained widespread, extending even into the party-list system,” he added.

The 1987 Constitution explicitly seeks the prohibition of political dynasties as may be defined by law.

“Perhaps this ruling raises a question larger than political dynasties themselves: what happens when those entrusted with making the law have a personal interest in not making it?” David noted.

Malacañang earlier said that banning political dynasties remains a priority of the Marcos administration.